A Watch and Act warning is in place for Mount Sheila in the Shire of Ashburton, WA. Keep up to date withMore than 70 constitutional and public law teachers have signed a letter saying the Voice to Parliament "is not constitutionally risky" in a bid to tackle "misunderstandings and misconceptions" among Australian voters.
"We are public and constitutional law teachers from universities all over Australia with experience teaching law students about the constitution and referendums," the letter says."Not as advocacy for a particular position, but to clarify some of the issues that are causing confusion about the proposed constitutional change, to help Australians sift through what they are reading and hearing, and to assist them to make an informed choice at the upcoming referendum.
"As such, whether or not we agree that the constitution should continue to embed this concept, it is wrong to frame the Voice as introducing a racial divide into the constitution.The letter also states that the Voice is not based on "the outdated concept of race", but "through recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' place as Australia’s first peoples".
"In law, it really matters who the author of the opinion is, such as, 'Are they an expert who's worked a long time in the field?'." University of New South Wales law and justice professor Gabrielle Appleby said the letter reflects the opinion of law experts across the country.Dr Chiam also encouraged voters to find a professor who has signed the letter and lives in their state, and contact them directly with further questions.